- Denholm Elliott, The Sound Barrier, 1952. Left to join his new wife, Constance Smith, in a Hollywood that did not want him – apart from Raoul Walsh. “Of course, you must go,” said director David Lean. “This is just one role and you’re talking about the rest of your life.”
- Denholm Elliott, The Holly and The Ivy, 1952. Hollywood meant losing the film version of his stage role, also inherited by Elliott – “such a success, his career was launched, given a long term contract by Korda.” Forbes, the future scenarist, director and even Elstree studio chief for a strangely, unsuccessful spell, often wondered how different his life would have been if “I’d played my cards in another order.” Don’t we all?
- Anthony Newley, Cockleshell Heroes, 1955. Having begun polishing Warwick Film scripts, he was paid to add humour to this war adventure. Too much so for the Hollywood director and star, José Ferrer. The script passed to producer Cubby Broccoli’s future 007 scenarist, Richard Maibaum, and Ferrer cut the role Irving Allen had suggested Forbes write for himself – “a showy, if minor character that suited my capabilities.” Unknown to Ferrer, Forbes was called back to re-add humour and re-shoot certain key scenes with a second crew and director (Phil Daniels) behind locked doors.
- Vernon Gray, Now And Forever, 1956. “Stop there! Don’t move,” yelled producer Mario Zampi. “Our search is over. We’ve found the perfect face.” Viewing the tests, there were 20 other perfect faces and Zampi did not remember any of them. Bryan was dropped, however, as one of the young lovers eloping to Gretna Green because the perfect faced ex-kid star, Jannette Scott and she could not receive her first screen kiss from a divorced man. True!
Birth year: 1926Death year: 2013Other name: Casting Calls: 4